How Do You Foster Creativity?

by smartamarketing

As a Creative Director for 20+ years, I’ve learned some tricks that help amplify creativity in any department of a company.
1. Create an environment of praise instead of fear. Nothing dries up creativity faster than rampant negativity and fear of making a mistake.
2. Don’t give people a million rules, give them a few absolute ones then let them have
free rein on everything else.
3. Don’t take the credit, give the credit.
4. Praise the behavior you want loudly and often.
5. Be fair, but don’t tolerate non-performers. Keeping around dead weight demoralizes the people who are trying really hard.
6. Don’t compete with your underlings. If you’re always trying to one up your staff, they
will quit trying eventually. If they don’t solve the problem exactly the way you would have,
GREAT!!!
7. Give people a clear, simple, lofty vision of where you want to go. BE VERY CONSISTENT TO SUPPORT THAT VISION.
8. Don’t worry so much about watching the clock on employees. If they accomplish the goals you want, let them figure out creative ways and times to make it happen.
9. Try in inject some aspect of fun into everything you do right down to the office space.
Just look at the offices, benefits and the results that Google has.

Do all that and you’ll have the best and the brightest lining up to work on your team.

John Harrington is President at Blackbox Advertising and Owner, Blackbox Advertising